No Jets-lag for Redskins, as Washington hosts New York in preseason tilt

Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins looks on during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

LANDOVER, Md. – Washington gets the Jets…again.

After head-to-head joint practices vs. New York Sunday through Tuesday, the Redskins host the Jets Thursday at FedEx Field in a nationally televised preseason game. The contest in the home preseason opener for Washington, which lost its preseason opener last week at New England.

“I want to see progression from these young kids and I want to see special team play,” head coach Jay Gruden said when asked for his expectations for vs. the Jets. “I want to see guys getting better from the first game to the second game. You know continuity and people competing.”

Quarterback Alex Smith, who the Redskins acquired in March via trade from Kansas City, did not take a snap in the team’s preseason opener. As of Tuesday, Washington’s final day of training camp, Smith said he was unsure as to whether or not he’d play in preseason game number two.

Alex Smith at Redskins Training Camp

“There’s a lot that goes into those decisions, luckily I don’t have to make them,” Smith said when pressed on the importance of him playing vs. the Jets. “We’ve come out here and practiced against them three days – going at each other, giving it everything you’ve got. Then, you get into preseason mode where maybe we’re not running this, not running that in preseason. But you’ve got all your stuff out here at practice. We’ll see what they say. I think everybody hopes to play, I know I do.”

News 3, Hampton Roads’ home of the Redskins, will have LIVE pregame coverage of Thursday’s preseason game. Kickoff, televised nationally by ESPN, is set for 8:00 p.m.